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Turkey lodges complaint at WTO over new US tariffs

In a move earlier flagged by officials in Ankara, Turkey has lodged a complaint at the World Trade Organization against new US duties on steel and aluminum. The move comes amid an intensifying political spat with the US.

In a letter to the WTO, Turkey on Monday argued that Washington had broken free trade rules by imposing tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports in June.

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

Alleged connection to failed military coup

US pastor Andrew Brunson was first arrested in October 2016, when Turkey was in the immediate throes of a crackdown on suspected instigators of the failed July coup attempt. He is accused of supporting exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen as well as Kurdish militants. Ankara claims Gulen masterminded the coup bid.

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

Espionage charges

Brunson was charged of "committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member" and espionage. The 50-year-old pastor spent two years in jail, facing a prison sentence of up to 35 years if convicted on both counts.

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

'No credible evidence'

In July, 2018, Brunson was allowed to leave prison and remain under house arrest, but his request to leave Turkey was denied by authorities. Washington has maintained that there is no credible evidence to support the charges brought against him. "Release Pastor Andrew Brunson now or be prepared to face the consequences," US Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey.

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

'No one dictates to Turkey'

US President Donald Trump threatened to slap "large sanctions" on Turkey if it refused to free the Christian pastor. Trump took to Twitter to demand that the pastor be freed, writing: "This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!" In a tit-for-tat tweet, Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu responded by saying that, "No one dictates [to] Turkey."

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

US sanctions

In early August the White House announced it was imposing sanctions on two top members of the Turkish government – Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul (above right) and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu – for their roles in Brunson's detention. President Erdogan has said that he will not be swayed by sanctions.

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

'Constructive' dialogue

But signs of a diplomatic thaw began to appear after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Turkey's Cavusoglu met in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional summit on August 3. "They [Pompeo and Cavusoglu] spoke about a number of issues and had a constructive conversation," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

Found guilty, but set free

Eventually, a court in Turkey's Aliaga found Brunson guilty on terror charges and sentenced him to over three years in prison. At the same time, however, the court said he would not serve the term due to the time he had already spent behind bars. The preacher was allowed to leave the country.

What is the Andrew Brunson row all about?

Shaky US-Turkey ties

The Brunson row is the latest in a series of diplomatic and military disputes between the two NATO allies. The US uses bases in Turkey for its military operations across the Middle East, but the two countries have sparred over numerous issues, including Washington's support for Kurdish fighters in Syria, whom Ankara sees as a threat to its political stability.

Author: Shamil Shams

US President Donald Trump then in early August authorized a doubling of the
duties , making them 50 percent and 20 percent respectively. Trump's move was seen as a reply to Ankara's detention of a US
pastor held for two years on terror charges.

"Turkey claims that the measures are inconsistent with a number of provisions of the WTO's Agreement on Safeguards and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994," said a statement on the WTO's website.

The doubling of the rates amounts to an additional violation, according to the letter.

The announcement of the new tariffs on August 10 caused the Turkish lira to crash 20 percent and, last Friday, two ratings agencies — Moody's and Standard & Poor's — cut Turkey's sovereign rating into junk territory.

Turkey in reply hiked tariffs on imports of several US products such as rice, alcohol, leaf tobacco, cosmetics and cars.

The US is the world's biggest steel importer, while Turkey is the sixth-largest steel exporter to the US.

Under WTO dispute consultations, both sides have 60 days to seek a solution, before the issue goes to the Dispute Settlement Body, where it can take years to resolve disputes.

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Turkey's central banks releases plan to stabilize markets

Erdogan hits back

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed on Monday his country was a victim of a "political plot" and an "economic war" and promised that Turks would not be brought "to their knees" by the economic crisis.